Freedom Scientific Training Podcast

In this episode of the Vispero Training Podcast, hosts Liz and Rachel share ten essential tips for working more efficiently in Microsoft PowerPoint with JAWS. They demonstrate how to quickly locate and open presentations, navigate slides and content placeholders, move between different areas of the PowerPoint interface, and use keyboard shortcuts to streamline common tasks. The discussion also covers editing slide content, working with images and alt text, understanding PowerPoint's layout structure, and using tools like the Accessibility Checker to help create more inclusive presentations. Whether you're reviewing an existing deck or building one from scratch, these practical techniques can help you navigate and manage PowerPoint with greater confidence and productivity using JAWS. For additional resources and future training opportunities, be sure to visit the Freedom Scientific webinars archive.

In this episode, Liz and Rachel explore six powerful JAWS features designed to help users navigate complex web pages, PDFs, forms, and documents more efficiently. They demonstrate how tools like Picture Smart AI, AI Labeler, Table Layer navigation, and Page Explorer can simplify cluttered or inaccessible content by providing image descriptions, labeling unlabeled controls, restructuring difficult tables, and summarizing web pages with AI assistance. The discussion also covers practical workflows for extracting accessible data from PDFs and web tables, navigating complicated forms, and using conversational AI prompts inside JAWS to better understand digital environments. Whether you're working with inaccessible documents, dense web pages, or complicated forms, this session highlights how modern AI-powered accessibility tools can dramatically improve productivity and navigation.

With the release of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2026, users are now required to create a Vispero account in order to use the software. In this episode of the Freedom Scientific Training Podcast, Liz explains what the Vispero account is, why it's required, and what's been updated to make the account creation process faster and easier. Liz walks through the updated workflow step by step, including the new age confirmation options (instead of entering a full birthdate), the streamlined set of required fields, email verification, and completing sign-in for the first time. She also explains how a Vispero account supports future capabilities—such as syncing settings across devices—so your setup can follow you from home to work or school with less manual reconfiguration.

Unlock the power of Microsoft Copilot in this beginner-friendly training session led by Liz and Rachel. Learn what Copilot is, how it integrates with Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, and how it can streamline your workflow — from summarizing information to building full documents and presentations. The hosts walk through real examples, including creating a project spreadsheet, generating a presentation, and formatting accessible content with AI-powered assistance. They also cover different Copilot plans, tips to avoid AI "hallucinations," how to review sources, and where to access Copilot on the web or as a Windows app. By the end, you'll feel confident exploring Copilot's capabilities to save time, boost productivity, and enhance the quality of your work.

In this episode, Freedom Scientific's Liz and Rachel explore how artificial intelligence can empower users of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion. From writing smarter emails to analyzing data and boosting productivity, they show how AI can simplify everyday tasks for people who rely on assistive technology. You'll learn the basics—what AI is, what "large language models" mean, and how tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot can work alongside your screen reader. Liz and Rachel walk through hands-on demos: drafting a professional email, analyzing feedback, building a project timeline, and even generating a follow-up announcement—all using AI tools. They also introduce Freedom Scientific's Learn AI Hub, a new self-paced resource with monthly webinars, archived sessions, and step-by-step exercises designed to help you master AI at your own speed. Whether you're an assistive technology user, educator, or accessibility professional, this episode will give you the tools to start harnessing AI to make your work faster, easier, and more creative. Learn more and access all resources at FreedomScientific.com/LearnAI

In this episode, Liz and Rachel walk you through how to proofread documents more efficiently in Microsoft Word using the Microsoft Editor alongside JAWS. Learn how to access the Editor with keyboard commands, check spelling and grammar, and put clarity and conciseness tools to work. They also cover how to: Navigate spelling and grammar suggestions using JAWS-specific keystrokes Understand and improve your Editor Score and readability statistics Select writing style settings like Casual, Professional, or Formal Add words to custom dictionaries and manage dictionary settings Re-run Editor after ignoring suggestions or completing a review Use quick navigation keys to jump to spelling and grammar errors directly in your document Whether you're writing professionally, drafting emails, or creating documents for personal use, this episode is packed with practical tips to make your writing clearer, more accurate, and easier to manage with screen reader tools.

In this episode of the Freedom Scientific Training Podcast, hosts Liz and Rachel walk listeners through an engaging introduction to ChatGPT, the powerful AI platform that's transforming how we write, analyze, and communicate. They begin by explaining what ChatGPT is, the difference between free and paid tiers, and what makes it unique among AI tools like Copilot and Gemini. Then, they dive into a live demonstration—showing how to hold a natural voice conversation with ChatGPT, create a formatted Word document from survey data, analyze that data in Excel with charts and percentages, and draft professional emails tailored for coworkers and customers. Whether you're brand new to ChatGPT or looking to expand your productivity toolkit, this episode is packed with clear, practical examples of how AI can streamline your workflow, enhance creativity, and boost clarity in communication. 🎧 Listen now to learn how ChatGPT can help you organize information, analyze data, and communicate more effectively. Learn more: Visit freedomscientific.com/training

In this episode, Freedom Scientific trainer Ron Miller dives deep into JAWS Smart Navigation, a powerful feature designed to make navigating web pages, PDFs, and HTML documents more intuitive. You'll learn: What Smart Navigation is and why it matters How to enable it through the Startup Wizard, Quick Settings, or Settings Center The difference between navigating controls, tables, or both Live demonstrations of Smart Navigation in action Tips for switching between modes on the fly for smoother browsing Whether you're new to JAWS or a longtime user looking to streamline your workflow, this walkthrough will help you get the most out of Smart Navigation.